What are we doing?
Last week (19-24th June 2011) saw National Neighbourhood Watch Week and our contribution of a display outside Budgens in the village centre. The police trailer (newly repainted with some excellent designs) displayed all the year's Its Scary be Wary posters . As the weather was so bright Bill and some of the team ran a table outside the trailer with leaflets and the usual give-aways, whilst Peter and Norma Salmon looked after the Digital Switchover display ready for the first local switch for some residents on July 6th.
At the start of the day Peter Fisk donned a cardboard box covered in slogans and paraded through the parents and children around the schools:-
Although the artwork was horribly amateurish, it created a lot of amusement and useful attention as with the children demanding of their parents 'What is that man doing in a carboard box and what does it say?
A few weeks previously a team of Neighbourhood Watch members had helped out with the Junior School's Community cohesion morning by running sessions on property marking and helping with the Kims Game observation exercise. Colin Freeman, the Essex Watch co-ordinator also help supplement the work of the teachers by heroically giving at least four separate session on the dangers of leaving litter.
Our annual report to the Parish Council is located here. It gives a summary of our main activities from April 2010 to April 2011.
At the November 2010 meeting we finally agreed a formal constitution for Doddinghurst Neighbourhood Watch. We had to do this so that we can open a business bank account and so hold our small amount of funds in the approved manner.
The Junior section is well into a new year of activities, having had a very successful introductory session; one on security, and a great firework safety poster competition. We have session on burglary scheduled shortly, and there will be one on property marking early in the New Year.
We are now routinely supplying SmartWater kits, one of the products that can uniquely identify property from a particular house. We have been told that this type of product can dramatically reduce the value of stolen items to a burglar, as well as making items in his possession competely traceable by police. If widely implemented through the village with street signs to warn potential burglars, we could achieve a big reduction in our local risk of burglary. The kits cost almost £20 each including delivery, and that is what we charge.
Local Fire Officers are still able to install the new smoke alarms with 10-year life batteries for NHW members free of charge. The members have welcomed the advice offered at the same time. One point in particular is that everyone should have a plan for what to do in the event of a fire on their property. There is no charge for this service. Please contact us if you would like to take advantage of it.
Speedwatch is regularly active but needs a few more
volunteers. The village has a
team equipped and trained to use a speed camera. They hope to reduce
dangerous speeding around the village.
Reports of speeding motorists are sent to the police for action. Sadly
the team is obliged to put warnings up and to wear high visibility
clothing when carrying out Speedwatch activities so most motorists slow
down briefly and are not reported.
Recent checks suggest that average speeds in the 30mph areas are about
35mph, with some drivers coming close to the speed limit and a few
grossly exceeding it. Occasional official police speed traps are now
being run to attempt to reduce the number of drivers with no
consideration for the safety of others.
Quiz
Quiz about you and your area
This short quiz tests your knowledge of security in your home and community.
You can take the quiz as often as you like - you may want to make sure you get all the questions right!
You can print out a certificate at the end of the quiz, with you name, Watch group and score.